she is soft
by cyclothimic
Summary: To put it simply, Laurel Lance had significantly underestimated Felicity Smoak because Felicity Smoak was a spectacled tiny blonde who was a force of nature with smarts greater than anyone in the lair combined and a heart purer than all of them as individuals. Felicity Smoak was something else entirely.


**i love lauricity. i love the dynamic. so i thought i could write something about them! i hope you like it!**

* * *

 _She can handle trouble and carry heavy burdens. She holds happiness, love and opinions. She smiles when she feels like screaming. She sings when she feels like crying. Cries when she's happy, and laughs when she's afraid. Her love is unconditional. There's only one thing wrong with her – and that is sometimes she forgets what is she is worth_.

* * *

When Laurel Lance first met Felicity Smoak, her first thought – embarrassingly – was that this was just Oliver's flavor of the week; that he was just delving into a different field of layers; that he was getting a taste of what tiny blondes would be like. He would eventually get tired of her and then stray back into Laurel's orbit.

When Laurel Lance first met Felicity Smoak, she had never thought that she would become the best of friends with the woman. She had never imagined she would be helping Felicity to make Oliver see sense. She had never quite expected to be the one standing at the bottom of the stage and happily clapping as she watched her first love and the woman she had first dismissed with a glance get engaged.

To put it simply, Laurel Lance had significantly underestimated Felicity Smoak because Felicity Smoak was a spectacled tiny blonde who was a force of nature with smarts greater than anyone in the lair combined and a heart purer than all of them as individuals. Felicity Smoak was something else entirely.

* * *

The first time she realized Felicity was more than just a fling, that she was a woman with a genuine personality who _truly_ cared, was during Tommy's funeral.

Laurel was distraught and angry. Distraught that she realized too late that Tommy was the love of her life and she shouldn't have _ever_ doubted him; angry that a woman Tommy barely knew could come to his funeral but his own _best friend_ couldn't even show his face and instead had fled the country again.

She had stayed behind when the ceremony was over, wanting to spend more time before she had to leave. She was surprised when someone cleared her throat nervously next to her, to find out it was actually Felicity who truly looked sorry compared to everyone else who'd attended the funeral. John Diggle, Oliver's bodyguard, stood behind her protectively.

"You might not remember me but I'm Oliver's friend. And I just want to tell you that I'm really sorry. Tommy didn't deserve this." Laurel stared at her blankly, too stunned to even speak. "Oliver's told me – _us_ – about him." Felicity gestured at the statute man behind her. "And I know you're probably angry that Oliver's not here but I'm sure he has a reason for not being here."

Laurel cleared her throat and offered a shivering smile. "That doesn't excuse him for being absent to his own best friend's funeral," she whispered hoarsely.

Felicity smiled sadly with an agreeable nod. "He's an asshole like that."

Laurel couldn't help but release a short laugh. "Thank you for coming."

* * *

The first time she realized Felicity was here to _stay_ and not going anywhere was when Laurel visited Oliver at his office and saw the woman sitting outside his office.

"Good afternoon, Miss Lance," Felicity paused for a short moment. And then she tilted her head with her eyes narrowed and a finger pointed in her direction. "Do I call you Miss Lance or do I call you Laurel? Technically, we're not really friends so I should call you Miss Lance. But then, technically, we _have_ spoken twice so that kind of makes us on first name basis, so I should probably call you Laurel." Laurel blinked a few times at the sudden implosion of short monologue from the woman in front of her. Felicity straightened up with a shake of her head and her face flushed. "Sorry, bad habit."

Laurel approached her desk carefully. "Laurel is fine," she started. "I'm here to see Oliver. Is he in?"

"Unfortunately, he isn't. He's at a meeting with _Isabel Rochev_." Felicity practically snarled when she pronounced the name of the co-owner of Queen Consolidated. "But if things go well, he is expected to be back in around fifteen minutes. So why don't you take a seat right over there?" Felicity twirled her hand at the living room set in a corner of the room. "Also, if you need coffee or something to drink, you'll have to make it yourself because I have made it a personal rule to never fetch coffee for _anyone_. Ever."

Laurel sat down as told and faced the blonde woman. "I thought you're an IT girl?"

"I am," Felicity naturally answered with pride.

Laurel then narrowed her eyes. "So why are you here?"

Felicity slouched, as if Laurel had poked a hole in her happy balloon. Laurel could see she was trying hard to hide the hurt and the frustration but she was very obviously failing. Never let it be said that Felicity Smoak was a good liar. "Because Mr. Queen is an incompetent CEO who needs a person he trusts to help him. And according to him, trusting me is enough to demote me from my very nice and very up to par cubicle in 18 floors below to being an Executive Assistant."

"You could've just said no."

Felicity smiled, a little helpless and a little telling of something that Laurel didn't know. "Oliver would have lost this company completely if I'm not here to help me. And he's my friend, so I'm not willing to see him lose this after everything that has happened to him."

Something in Felicity's voice told Laurel that she knew more than she showed. Laurel wanted to know but she wasn't one to pry. She then offered a small smile. "Well then, Oliver is very lucky to have you."

"I know."

* * *

The first time Laurel realized that Felicity Smoak was more than a just an IT girl to Oliver Queen was when she came down to the lair after the whole Slade Wilson fiasco.

Oliver had left her side the moment he laid eyes on the blonde and hastened towards her in three long strides, his face stricken with concern and guilt and regret.

Apparently, Felicity could read him well enough to recognize the look on his face, to which she jabbed a displeased finger in his chest with a stern look. "I am fine. Well, except for this." She pointed at the small wound on her head. "Which John has already taken care of. So, like I said, I am _fine_. Stop looking like a kicked puppy and like I'm gonna break any time. You did what you had to do."

Laurel watched as Oliver failed in stifling a helpless smile at the blonde. "I'm sorry. It's wrong of me to use you as a bait but –"

"Oliver!" Felicity snapped. His mouth closed immediately as he yielded to the woman. Laurel had to watch on in curiosity and surprise because the Oliver Queen she knew wouldn't have let anyone get a word in. "You did what you had to do," the blonde then continued, slower and gentler. "Besides, you guys are always out in the field and I'm always here. So tonight, I got to prove that I'm capable of being out in the field so you guys could take that into consideration next time."

"There won't be a next time."

Felicity smirked and patted him on his cheek teasingly as she turned to her computers. "That's what they always say."

Oliver heaved an impatient sigh, accompanied with an adoring smile that practically _everyone_ noticed except Felicity. "I'm glad you're okay."

She looked back up at him with a similar smile. "I can hold up on my own, Oliver."

"I know; doesn't mean I have to like it."

Felicity Smoak was more than just an IT girl to Oliver Queen. She was more than just a partner in crime; more than just a friend. Felicity Smoak was the only one who could elicit a genuine humorous smile from Oliver after his return from the island. She was the only one who could get him to listen to her and think about it. Felicity Smoak was the light in this dingy, dark and wet cave.

Oliver Queen was desperately in love with Felicity Smoak.

* * *

The first time she realized Felicity was a friend was when she stood up for Laurel to Oliver who was still being a sexist controlling ass even when he just got back from the dead.

"Thank you," Laurel said when they were alone in the lair, when everything was over and they got a temporary reprieve from the chaotic world. "For standing up to Oliver for me."

Felicity spun her chair around with a knowing smile. "I know a thing or two about having Oliver underestimate our abilities," she said softly, slightly sadly. And then she shrugged with a twist to her lips. "Well, I should also thank you because I've been wanting to shout at Oliver this entire week and you've given me the opportunity."

Laurel laughed and nodded, sitting down on a chair. "I just wish he would see me as an equal."

"He will," Felicity responded, convinced with her own statement. "He might be stupid. He also likes to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders even though we're all here to help him. But he's also fair. He will learn to see every one of us as equals."

"He already sees you as an equal," Laurel opined with a knowing smile.

Felicity shook her head firmly. "Not really."

"He does." Felicity looked at her with a frown. "If he doesn't, he wouldn't have listened to you standing up to me and actually asks me to help while he and Thea go do whatever they're doing." Laurel leaned back in her chair. "I know he's obtuse and stupid, but he's smart when it comes to listening to you."

"Well, whatever he's thinking right now, I don't even want to know anymore," Felicity said. "Just know that I'll be there for you as long as the situation asks for it."

Laurel nodded. "Thank you."

* * *

The first time she realized that she was truly over Oliver was when she watched him propose to Felicity on stage.

She knew he was going to propose. Because she saw the ring in the bowl of marbles and she was hinted and she asked Oliver very casually about it and he looked very sheepish when he told her that she had interrupted his proposal.

She had expected to be jealous, to be even the slightest unhappy about it. But all she felt was pride and happiness, for both her childhood friend and the woman who was turning out to be the best friend she had known. They both deserved it, especially Felicity. She had spent the last two years watching Felicity watching over Oliver like a quiet guard, being there for him without even expressing her quite stark feelings towards the man.

She apologized for interrupting his proposal and offered to help him. He told her he would let her know. And then that night before they dressed up for the secret thing Felicity had organized, he dragged Laurel to a corner of the room, tie half tied, waiting for Felicity to help him with it.

"I need you to head back to the loft and grab the ring for me," he whispered, nerves tainting his voice.

She stared at him a moment, and then her eyes widened. "Wait, are you –"

"Yeah," he confirmed with a nervous smile.

"Oh my god, Oliver," she exclaimed with a grin.

"Yeah."

So she went and got it. And she hid her smile when he grabbed her onto the stage. And when she said yes and she felt genuine happiness feel her core at the sight of him and Felicity hugging and kissing like a couple truly in love, she knew that Oliver was officially just a passing part in the chronicle of her love life.

* * *

Laurel had had many first realizations when it came to Felicity Smoak. She couldn't be gladder that she came to know the woman.

Felicity Smoak was the strongest person Laurel had ever known in her life, bar none. Not even Oliver could compete to the strength and power Felicity carried. Felicity was the glue of the team, keeping the team together with her connections and giving everyone light in their lives with her humor and her constant optimism.

"You're one of the best friends I've ever had," Laurel told Felicity.

"So are you."

* * *

 **tell me tell me tell me**

 **what do you think?**


End file.
